We couldn’t cover the Westside without talking about its most exciting space. Electric Playhouse is defined by John-Mark Collins, CEO and founder of Electric Playhouse, as the “community center of the 21st century.” Their website says, “Electric playhouse is an all-ages dining, gaming and recreation wonderland that requires no goggles or equipment to transport you to another reality.” It is a media platform that can change from hour to hour. There are games for families and kids during the day and immersive dinners, events, corporate events and shows for adults at night (and sometimes into the morning).
Changing Spaces
Walking through the entrance you are transported into a kaleidoscope of possibilities for play. Electric Playhouse has the unique ability to change the content within the building at any given moment, as it is a large interactive media display system. Electric Playhouse tracks all the users’ motions through the building as users play games and interact with the walls. Collins defines these experiences as, “The next generation of family entertainment.” There are a variety of different events that include New Mexico United watch parties, Trivia on Tuesdays and late-night DJ concerts as adult-oriented events. The company is also hoping to start up karaoke competitions. For the younger folk, they have computer coding camps and robotics competitions and upcoming family-focused events to start the school year.
Interactive Play
General admission ($18 adults, $15 children/seniors) includes activities at the Electric Playhouse incorporating a standard content with 16 to 21 rooms at any given time. Play specialists who provide quality play service for all of the children walk through the space and change the content and guide people through some of the experiences. Ahmed Issa, an 11-year-old customer at Electric Playhouse, says, “One of the best things about Electric Playhouse is the play specialists who interact and actually play with kids.” The content is continually changing and can do so with just a click of a button.
Electric Dining
There are two options for dining at Electric Playhouse, which include a ticketed gourmet experience of immersive dining and a comfortable family-driven cafe as well as a bar. The immersive dining experiences, geared to being more of a date-night event, are chef-driven and held in private rooms. The adult dining experience includes a thematically driven, four-to-five-course dinner. Right now the theme is space. In mid-September the theme will switch over to a fall feast that will run through Halloween. The Electric Playhouse will also hold events that are geared toward the Balloon Fiesta. The cafe food is pretty standard and includes sandwiches with a more affordable price line to make it a smidge more accessible for families. Electric Playhouse is located at 5201 Ouray Rd. NW. Check out the venue’s fall events and upcoming show schedule at electricplayhouse.com/.